Shining Knight
by Jazzminna
Summary: On the night that the Arthur and his knights are to be freed, they are joined by a long time friend. And when they are given one last mission, she isn't about to stay home and wait. But there are scars in her past that are in danger of being reopened.
1. Freedom At Last

OK. Now for a real introduction.

Shining Knight (I still might change the name) is the story of a King Arthur as seen in the Touchstone Pictures movie. Although I am adding a bit from the book by, Frank Tompson, a bit from the legend, and a bit of my own imagination. This last bit being mostly Trinaty, my main character.

Now to all of those who have read my first posting of this story must read this new installation because it has been revised and edited and is a lot, lot better.

Reviewer Response:

RuByMoOn17 No there will be no Slash. I personally don't approve of Slash when it comes to FanFiction.

g. My one anonymous reviewer. Thank you for your comments, they do help me to figure out what the hell it is I'm doing. Thanks for the heads up about the name, but I think I'll keep Trinaty. It's just that I want to own this character completely. And I'm not so worried on being very accurate, legend wise. But please do give me a shout if I mess up big time.

Aurien I will definitely post a short Bio. on Trinaty. But I do eventually want to write a story about her and the knights prior to the move. There is a lot behind her. And no I don't take offense to your comment. I mean I would defiantly want to know a little bit about certain character in that position.

And to all of you who are wandering just who the hell this "last knight" is. Well you'll just have to wait and see. This is the little bit of mystery in my story. Hope you like it.

Oh! Oh! Oh! Wait I forgot one little thing. The Disclaimer. Oh what a bother they are. So here we go, inhales deeply. I don't own King Arthur, the Movie or the Book, or the legend for that matter. I don't own any of the characters, except for Trinaty of coarse. Well I think that's about it.

Chapter 1: Freedom At Last

As the Sarmatian knights under Arthur's command crested the hill they looked down, for what they hoped was the last time, upon one of the last outpost on Hadrian's Wall.

"Tonight, I'm going to drink until I can't piss strait." Bors said reverently.

"You do that every night." Gawain said from next to him.

"I can never piss strait. There's just too much of me. Down there I mean. It's a real problem." Bors explained. "It's like a baby's arm," he started.

"Holding an apple!" all of the knights recited in unison. They all laughed, and began to ride down the hill.

The knights talked good-naturedly as they escorted Bishop Germanius and his small troop of Roman soldiers to the wall. They had been looking forward to this day for fifteen years. Some had been waiting even longer.

As they rode Gawain glanced at Galahad, who had a grim, troubled look on his face. "Is this your happy face?" Gawain asked him in mock concern.

"I don't like him." Galahad said, jerking his head towards the carriage. "Why does he not discharge us and have done with it?"

"Do you not know yet?" Gawain said with a grin. "They can't so much as scratch their ass with out a ceremony."

"Why don't you just kill him and discharge your self?" Bors said riding up between them.

"I will if it comes to that."

"Aah. You'll miss killing once your back home." Bors said philosophically.

"No." Galahad said. "I don't kill for pleasure. Unlike some."

Tristan rode up on the other side of Galahad in time to hear his comment. He glanced over at Galahad and said, "You should try it some time. You might get a taste for it."

Galahad shook his head incredulously. "As of tomorrow this was all just a bad memory." He said bitterly and spurred his horse forward.

Tristan whistled twice and held out his arm. A gray hawk that had been circling over head, swooped in and landed on his outstretched arms. He handed the bird a scrap of meet from his pocket and cooed to it in a loving voice that he only used when talking with the great hawk. "Where you been? Hey. Where you been?" he asked tipping the birds beak as a father would do with his son.

"I have often thought of what going home would be like." Gawain said reflectively. "I have been in this life, longer than the other." He said to Bors, vaguely indicating Galahad. Home is not as clear in my mind.

"Speak for yourself." Bors said. "It's fucking cold back home. And everyone I know is dead and buried. Once the Romans are gone we'll have the run of the place." He said indicating the surrounding country. "I'll be governor of my own village. And Dagonet will be my bodyguard and royal arse kisser, won't you Dag!"

Dagonet grinned at the jibe and pulled a dagger out of his belt. He jabbed the dagger lightly into Bors's butt.

"Kiss harder, ya dirty beast!" Bors said in a mock commanding voice.

Gawain laughed and said, "The first thing I'm gonna do when I get home is find a beautiful Sarmatian woman to marry."

"Beautiful Sarmatian woman?" Bors asked. "Why do you think we left in the first place?" He said and made a mooing noise.

Gawain laughed as Lancelot came riding level with them. "And what of you, Lancelot?" Bors asked. "What are your plans for home?"

"Well if this woman of Gawain's is as beautiful as he claims, I expect I'll be spending a lot of time at his house. His wife will welcome the company." Lancelot said, grinning at Gawain.

"And where will I be?" Gawain asked in mock outrage at Lancelot's words.

"Wondering at the good fortune that all your children look like me." He said simply, and spurred his horse forward to ride next to Arthur.

"Is that before or after I hit you with my ax?" Gawain called after him.

Arthur and Lancelot rode side by side for a moment before Lancelot said, "Did you hear? Bors is governor."

Arthur smiled. It warmed him to hear his men laugh and enjoy them selves.

"For my self," Lancelot continued. "I start for home in the morning. As soon as the sun's up. I may not even sleep. I doubt I can, thinking about it." He glanced over at his friend. "What about you, Arthur? I was beginning to imagine that you actually liked it here."

"Well I don't think much of your imagination then." Arthur said. "Come tomorrow, I make my own plans for Rome."

"Rome!" Lancelot all but spat. "And what will you do, Arthur, when you return to your 'beloved' Rome?"

"Give thanks to God, Lancelot, that I survived to see it again."

"You and your God! You disturb me." He said with a shake of his head.

Arthur laughed and looked his friend in the eye. "Peace, Lancelot. I want peace. I've had enough of fighting and killing." He looked for ward again and continued after a short pause, "You should visit me, in Rome. It is a magnificent place. Ordered. Civilized. Advanced."

"A breeding ground for pompous fool, like him." Lancelot said indicating the Carriage that Germanius rode in.

Arthur shook his head and smiled. "The greatest minds in the land have come together in this one sacred place to make mankind free."

A sly gleam appeared in Lancelot's eyes and he said, "And the Women?"

Arthur smiled and looked back at his old friend. Then they both laughed.

There were cheers from the crowd of small children and many of the men and women, as the band of knights road into fortress's courtyard.

Germanius looked around in disgust at the courtyard and the crowd of children veining for the attention of the shorter, gruff knight, Bors. The Bishop watched as red hared woman walked up and slapped Bors across the face. A few words passed between them and then she kissed Bors with a passion the revolted Germanius.

"My quarters have been made available for you." Arthur was saying to him.

"Yes." Germanius said. "I need to rest."

Gawain turned to Galahad and whispered, "Yeah, it's really exhausting to ride in a fancy carriage."

Galahad gave a humorous snorted.

While the knights spoke with The Bishop in the fortress hall, a hooded rider came galloping up to the gates.

"Who goes there?" called the guard.

"Let me in!" the rider yelled back.

"Who goes there?!" the guard repeated.

"Who the hell are you to ask!"

Drawn by the commotion, Jols walked up behind the guard just as he was about to yell back at the rider. "Trinaty? Is that you?" Jols called out before the guard had the chance to yell a crude remark.

"Who the hell do you think it is." Yelled the rider.

Jols smiled and nodded to the guard to open the gate. The gates creaked open and the hooded rider prodded her horse forward through them.

"Trinaty." Jols said happily coming down from the wall. He held his arms wide in greeting.

"Jols, It's so good to see you." Trinaty said embracing the squire affectionately.

"Why have you come?" Jols asked her.

"Do you really think I would miss this night of all nights. My friends are finally free." She said indignantly. "Besides," she shrugged, "I want to see how drunk Bors is gonna get. And I've brought him a little present to help him in that respect." She pulled back the flap on her saddlebag revealing several fine glass bottles.

"I see," Jols said chuckling. "Well their in the dinning hall with Bishop Germanius."

"They'll be out soon. If I know the men, and I am certain I do, they won't spend more time then they have to around a Roman or a man of the Christian church." She said 'Christian' with disgust.

"Probably right." Jols said with a grin. He knew she was only too right.

The knights grumbled as they exited the dinning hall, led by Lancalot. As they entered the inner courtyard, where the knights usually ate, they herd a yell of delight. They all looked around and saw a woman with bright red hair running towards them.

She flung her self at Lancalot and kissed him full on the mouth. Lancalot wrapped his arms around her and looked into her eyes. "It's good to see you too, Trin." He said grinning from ear to ear.

Trinity pulled away from him and proceeded to kiss all of the knights in the same manner. They all greeted her with joy and kissed her back. As she kissed the last knight she deepened it, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"It's really good to see you." She muttered reverently against his lips.

He held her away from him and looked into her eyes with a look that was close to longing. "It is good to see you too." He said. His voice was deep and made her shiver with delight.

"Hey now that's enough." Bors roared. "No more of that unless you're gonna share it with the rest of us." He picked her up around the waist and threw her over his shoulder.

"Hey! Bors put me down!" Trinity shouted, pounding Bors's back with her fist. All of the knights laughed. "Gawain help me." She said piteously.

"You can get your self out of this. I've seen you do it before." Gawain said as Trinity looked at him upside-down.

"Well yeah." She said. "But I don't wanna hurt 'im." This made Bors laugh so hard he nearly dropped her on her head. "Hay! Will you put me down before you drop me." She yelled at Bors.

Bors finally put her down and grinned at her. "Now how's about some drinks for these fancy cups." He bellowed, holding up the gold goblet he was still holding from the fortress hall.

Several of the eager women that had gathered in the courtyard to flirt with the knights quickly rushed off to fetch wine. Trinity walked over to where her saddlebag rested on a table. She pulled out one of the glass bottles and held it up in the air triumphantly.

"What ya got there Trin?" Galahad said curiously.

"Wait till you try it." She said with a grin. She poured a small amount of the amber into Galahad's cup. The knight eagerly gulped it down. Immediately he began to choke and sputter.

"Hey now! Give me some of that." Bors said laughing at Galahad's predicament.

"What is that stuff?" Gawain asked.

"That's a secret." Trinity said pouring some into Bors's cup. "Drink it slow." She warned.

"Why couldn't you have told me that?" Galahad gasped.

"I would have. But you gulped it down like a man that hadn't had any thing to drink in days." She said defensively as one of the many women that now milled eagerly about the court yard, patted his back and handed him a glass of wine with a suggestive smile.

Bors took a sip of the drink and swilled it around his mouth. He swallowed and nodded approvingly. "Not bad." He held out his cup for more. She filled his cup and turned to the other knights.

"Lancalot?" She asked, holding up the bottle.

"No thanks, dear lady. I'll stick to wine, thank you."

"Gawain? Dagonet?" she asked. They both shook their heads; Gawain smiled and pulled one of the willing women into his lap as if for a shield. Trinity stuck out her bottom lip at them. Then she turned hopefully to Tristan. She held up the glass in question.

"Why not?" he said, holding out his own cup. Trinity smiled and filled his it. Tristan held up his cup in a toast and then threw back his head and downed the contents.

When he had swallowed all of the liquid he wiped the back of his hand across his mouth and nodded to Trinity.

"That's not fair." Trinity heard Galahad whine from behind her. She let out a laugh and began to relax as the night became more and more noisy as the knights, Galahad in particular, became more and more drunk.

Trinaty watched as Lancelot gambled with a couple of Roman soldiers. Lancelot had just won again with the dice when Vanora came up to the table with a tray of drinks. "Drinks any one?" she asked.

Laughing, Lancelot pulled Vanora into his lap. "When are you going to come and run away with me?" he said with a slight slur in his voice.

"My lover is watching you!" Vanora said indignantly, slapping him lightly I the face before standing up and walking off.

Trinaty looked over to where Bors stood holding his newest son. She grinned as Bors hastily checked the infant for any resemblance to Lancelot. Seemingly satisfied he handed the baby back to Vanora. "Here, be a mother to your son."

Trinaty stood up and put a hand on Lancelot's shoulder. He nodded to her and she started to wonder over to where Gawain and Galahad were throwing knives at the back of a chair. Tristan watched them, while he sliced pieces off an apple with one of his daggers.

Galahad let out a cry of triumph as one of his daggers imbedded it self in the chair. "Beat that!" he said to Gawain nearly falling backwards off his chair.

Wordlessly Tristan casually flung the knife he was holding. It hit the handle of Galahad's knife, and stuck. Trinaty gave whoop of glee.

"Tristran, how do you do that?" the accent that created the second 'r' sound in Tristan's name was intensified by Gawain's slightly slurred speech.

"I aim for the middle." He said nonchalantly.

"He's just good." Trinaty said. She could feel that she was beginning to get drunk herself, or at least tipsy. She walked over she planted a noisy kiss on Tristan's cheek.

"Oh, for goodness sake, Trinaty!" Gawain exclaimed. "Don't be such a girl."

"Girl?" she asked indignantly. "Girl? Have you ever seen a girl do this?" She pulled a dagger from her belt and threw it at the other two daggers. The third dagger's point stuck in the handle of Tristan's blade.

Before Trinaty could gloat there was a cry of "Sing! Sing!" from the other side of the courtyard. They all turned to see Bors pulling Vanora, still holding her young son, in to the middle of a clearing in the crowd. There were a few more encouragements and then all was quiet.

Vanora looked at her son lovingly and then began to sing. Her voice filled the courtyard and the hearts of the knights and Trinaty. She sang of going home and a strange feeling settled over Trinaty. A sense of foreboding, as though something very unwelcome was about to happen.

Turning to look for the source of this feeling, Trinaty saw Arthur standing at the very back of the small crowd. He looked at Vanora and then at his knight. Trinaty could feel his anguish and indecision as he turned to leave.

"Arthur!" Jols called out, finally spotting him. The heads of all of the knights snapped around to look at their friend and commander.


	2. One Last Mission

OK so this chapter is shorter than the first one. Man was that one long. I was surprised that I even finished.  
Disclaimer: see prior chapter I don't want to write it again.  
  
Chapter 2: One Last Mission  
  
"Arthur." Galahad said in a slurred greeting.  
  
All of the knights gathered around Arthur instinctive. Not wanting to eavesdrop, but unable to quell her curiosity, Trinaty followed at a slight distance.  
  
"My knights." Arthur said slowly. "You have all served me well, but I must ask you to complete one more mission."  
  
"Drink." Bors said, miming taking a large gulp from a cup of wine. Galahad smiled, as if hoping that this was al a big joke. Trinaty knew that Arthur would never jest about such a thing.  
  
"We leave in the morning."  
  
"Leave?" Lancelot asked disbelievingly.  
  
"There is a Roman family high above the wall. Our mission is to bring them back here."  
  
"Above the wall is Woad territory." Tristan muttered. He showed no outward sign that the news had affected him.  
  
"Roman bastards!" Bors growled angrily.  
  
"Bors!" Lancelot said, and shot a warning glance at him.  
  
Galahad nodded. "Bors is right. We are free men now."  
  
"It is our duty to save these people." Arthur said.  
  
"Our 'duty', if ever it was a duty, is done." Galahad said. It seemed to Trinaty that he was making an effort to keep his words strait and dignified. But the alcohol was still making them sloppy.  
  
"Every knight here has laid down his life for you. And now instead of our freedom, you ask for more blood. Our blood!" Bars said angrily.  
  
"We have our orders." Arthur said in a quiet but firm voice. "We are knights. And when we return your discharges of freedom will be here for you."  
  
"But why?" Gawain asked.  
  
"There are innocent people, a family, trapped north of the wall." He explained patiently. "They need to be brought back or they will die."  
  
"Let the Romans protect their own." Bors spat.  
  
Tristan, still looking at the apple in his hands, said, "We all die someday. If it is death at the hands of the Saxons that frightens you," he said finally looking up. "Go home."  
  
"If you are so eager to die," Galahad snarled, "you can die right here! Some of us have something to live for!" Trinaty winced as his voice rose in a crescendo of fury.  
  
"A noble death in battle," Tristan said. "That is worth living for."  
  
Galahad lunged at Tristan, but he was drunk and Gawain restrained him easily.  
  
"Enough!" Lancelot shouted. All of the knights stood straighter and glared at each other.  
  
There was a strained silence. Then Dagonet, who had thus far been silent, spoke up. "The Romans have broken their word. But we have the word of Arthur. That is enough for me. I will prepare." And he turned and walked past Bors towards the stabled. As he passed the big knight he paused. "Are you coming?"  
  
"Of coarse I'm comin'!" Bors bellowed. "I have to keep you from getting yourself bloody killed!" Then he added, "You're all thinkin' it. I'm just sayin' it!" He turned to walk after Dagonet and was joined by Vanora. Trinaty herd him mutter to her, "Vanora, kill me."  
  
Arthur turned back to his other knights.  
  
"I am with you." Gawain said. "So is Galahad."  
  
Galahad glared at him wordlessly. Then he poured the wine that was still in the flask, on the ground, and threw the flask after it. All of the knights turned and walked away to prepare for the morning.  
  
Trinaty starred at the shards of the flask on the ground at Arthur's feet. Then she looked up into her friend's eyes.  
  
She shook her head. "I don't understand." She said quietly.  
  
"Nor do I." Arthur said, taking a step towards her. "Will you ride out with us in the morning?" he asked.  
  
"No. I will not watch my friends leave for this suicide mission." She said bitterly. She looked him strait in the eyes. "It's not just the Woads, Arthur. There are Saxons too now. I've heard word of an entire army set to invade, and take over Briton."  
  
"I know."  
  
Trinaty shook her head again. "This is suicide!" she spat in frustration. "You better bring them back, Arthur. That's all I can say. You. Bring. Them. Back. Alive." She said slowly.  
  
Arthur just nodded and walked towards the stables. She starred at his retreating back for a while, then turned and walked away.  
  
She paused at the edge of the courtyard and looked back. She saw her saddlebag still siting on the table, and shook her head. There was no cause for celebration on this night.  
  
The ally way of the fortress were dark and silent as Trinaty moved slowly through them, back towards where she had let her horse loose to graze. As she passed the door way to the knights quarters she say a ripple of movement.  
  
She paused and starred at the spot as one of the knights stepped out. They locked gazes for a long moment. Neither of them moved nor spoke. But both of them understood the other.  
  
"Be careful." She whispered.  
  
"I will." He said in a flat voice.  
  
"And make sure Galahad isn't hurt. He deserves to go home in one piece."  
  
The knight nodded and disappeared back into the shadows, and Trinaty left the fortress with out another word to anyone.  
  
OK so like I said this chapter was shorter then the last. I hope you liked it. Please Review. 


	3. Troubled Memories part one

OK every one, I just got back from a trip to the other side of the country and haven't had a lot of time or access to a good computer. But I am finally updating. Now this chapter is split in to two parts. The reason I did this is because I think it was better to separate the first part, which is light and funny, from the second part, which is darker and more moody. But the second part does have some of Trinaty's past in it.

Review Response:

Red Dragon10—Thanks so much. I am soo glad you like it. I love your story. I know that there are going to be some grammar and spelling mistakes. I suck in those areas, always have.

Jaulli Bass--- Thanks for reading my story. I'll try to look out for that Marry Sue thing. I think the second part of this chapter might help in that respect.

g.--- thanks for the guess. You'll have to wait and see who "he" is. I am in a process of illimination, so please keep reading. Thank you so much for the comment about my use of dialogue. About the thing between Tristan and Galahad. I don't really think Galahad really resent Tristan. But I think it kind of unnerves Galahad that Tristan can be so calm while he can barely control his emotions.

Kitty-Kat26--- Yeah there are two chapters that are almost exactly the same, but the first one was an example I put up before I edited it for the real story.

OK so thus far I have stated, in a round about way, that the "last knight isn't Bors or Galahad, or Arthur because he was in the main hall during the "kiss". That leaves Lancelot, Tristan, Gawain, and Dagonet. So keep guessing.

Chapter 3: Troubled Memories part one

Despite what Trinaty had said to Arthur the night before, she did watch as the knights rode out of the ancient gate of Hadrian's Wall. She watched, from her perch high in a tree, the process of opening the old rusted gates. The two horses that they had hooked up to the gates strained against the unwilling hinges.

Trinaty gave a slight start when she saw that the Bishop's weasel, Horton, was riding with them. If you could call it riding. Trinaty thought it more, clinging for life. _Well,_ she thought, _I guess it makes sense. Germanus will want a spy to make sure the knights stay loyal to Rome._

Seeing all she cared to, Trinaty began to climb down. She had crossed a broken down part of the wall the night before, after she had left the fortress. As Trinaty neared the ground the horse she had chosen for this journey lifted his head and whickered eagerly.

"Draco," she crooned. "You ready for a little journey." Draco threw his head up and down in anticipation of the work. "I know boy you've been stuck in the stables for a long time." She said sympathetically.

Draco was large, very shaggy, and as black as the night sky. She only rode Draco when she needed to go north or into the mountains. Other wise he stayed with a family that used him to plow their fields in the spring.

Trinaty kissed the horse affectionately on the nose and leapt easily into the saddle.

The knights rode hard all day, only stopping briefly to allow their horses to drink. Although the knights and their horses seemed to be exhilarated by the hard riding, Horton seemed to be taking it rather badly. But he soon gave up whining either because the pain became too unbearable, or the taunts from Bors and the others became too unbearable.

Trinaty tracked them from the woods. She had had to fall back when Arthur sent Tristan out to scout. Luckily Draco was a fairly fast horse and was able to make up the distance easily.

While she rode Trinaty had a lot of time to think. She had decided that she really didn't hate Arthur for this mess, but she did hate Germanus. She hated the Pope. She hated the Romans. She hated this whole stupid mission. But most of all she hated herself. Hated the part of her that was happy that the knights had been given one more mission. It meant that they would still be together in Briton. That they were in a place where she could see them and be with them; All of them together.

That's when she realized exactly how much she would miss them when they had all gone back to their homes. When they left her home, Briton.

They rode hard through the night and the next day with out incident. Then at the end of the second day they came to thick forest and stopped. Tristan, a few passes ahead of the other knights, scanned the foreboding tree line. Then he pointed and said, "there is the path. I knew it was here."

Arthur nodded, then turned to Lancelot, who was starring at the dark trees, and didn't notice the glance. "We'll make camp." Arthur said. "Better to attack this obstacle in the light after we've all had a rest."

Though all of the knights were relieved they showed no sign of it. Horton on the other hand gave a huge sigh of relief that earned him an amused glance from Bors.

Trinaty dismounted and watched as the knights made ready to camp for the night. They had move just inside the trees in an attempt to get out of the rain that had begun to fall.

"Time to show our hand, I think." She said to Draco, who had stared to graze on the sparse grass that covered the hill they were standing on.

Despite the cover of the trees, all of the knights were soaked by the time darkness fell apon them.

"I can't wait to get out of this hell hole." Gawain complained. "If it's not raining, it's snowing. If it's not snowing, it's foggy."

"And that's the summer," Lancelot interjected.

"The rain's good." Bors said, tilting his head back and letting it wash over his face. "It washes away the blood."

"But it doesn't improve the smell." Dagonet said with a sly look at his friend.

There was the sound of a twig snapping a little ways into the trees. Lancelot jumped to his feet and drew his sword. The rest of the knights, except Tristan, reached for their weapons nervously.

"Relax," Tristan said, "Its only Trinaty." Everyone looked at him. "She's been trailing us since we left Hadrian's wall."

Grinning at Tristan's unconcerned air, Trinaty slipped quickly and silently out from the trees just behind him and had her knife pressed lightly to his throat before the knights even had a chance to take their hands off their weapons. "Aren't we being a little cocky?" she said into his ear.

"No, just confident." He hadn't even twitched when he felt the blade.

Trinaty laughed as she slid her boot dagger back into its sheath. Then, sitting down next to Gawain, she said, "Lancelot why don't you put that away before you hurt your self." She grinned as Bors laughed raucously.

The noise of Bors's laugh woke Horton, and he glared at the big knight. Then he noticed Trinaty. He blinked to make sure that she wasn't a left over fragment from a dream. Convinced that she wasn't, he asked, "Who is this Woman?"

Trinaty was surprised that Horton had enough brains to recognize that she was a woman. For she was wearing leather trousers and a leather tunic, much like the knights wore. She hadn't bothered with her cape knowing that it would be soaked in the downpour, and she didn't really mind the rain that much. She figured it was her hair, which had become very dark because of all the water in it, and her breasts. They had always been her biggest problem when she had had to disguise her self as a boy.

"Who is this woman?" Horton repeated, since the knights had chosen to ignore him.

"My name," she said loudly, forcing him to look into her bright green eyes, "Is Trinaty. And you would do good to remember that." Gawain grinned at her hoping that she would take a mind to beat at Horton's rather dull and ragged wits.

But Trinaty had taken the knights' lead, and having said all she needed had dismissed Horton out of hand. This more than anything infuriated Horton, but his exhausted mind could not think of a haughty retort. So he turned over and tried to dose off again.

Gawain wrapped his arm affectionately around Trinaty and said in a flirtatious voice, "You being here makes the day all the brighter."

"Gawain," she said looking at him in mock concern, "Have you lost your mind? It's night. And it's raining"

He grinned sheepishly. "Well a man can try."

Trinaty smiled at him and leaned against his chest. Thought the cold really didn't bother her, – she had grown up with Briton's freezing winters – she could admit that she did enjoy the body heat emanating from Gawain.

Bors snorted and rolled his eyes at Gawain and Trinaty.

"Bors," Galahad said, "Do you intend to take Vanora and all of your bastards with you?"

"That's a decision I've been tryin' to avoid," He said gloomily, "by getting killed." Gawain snorted and Galahad laughed. Bors continued, "She wants to get married and give all the kids names."

"I thought they had names." Galahad said.

"Just Ginny, we just gave the others numbers."

"I didn't think you could count." Lancelot said with a grin. Bors glared over at him.

"Women," Tristan muttered distastefully as he sharpened the curved sword that was his choice weapon apart from a bow and arrow.

"And what exactly is that supposed to mean?" Trinaty said indignantly. Tristan chose not to answer.

"Well _you_ don't exactly act like a lady, now do you." Jols said. Trinaty snorted at this but smiled and pulled out her boot knife again. She began to fiddle with it as Bors went on.

"Nah," He said. "I kinda like the little bustards. They mean somthin' to me."

"You'd miss 'em" Dagonet said in an understanding voice

"I don't know what I'd do with out them." Bors paused, then raised his voice. "Especially Number Three! He's a good fighter."

"That's because he's mine." Lancelot said.

Unable to think of a good response to that Bors stood up and said, "I'm goin' for a piss."

There was a moment of silence. Then Arthur came walking up to the pathetically sputtering fire.

"Where have you been Arthur?" Trinaty asked.

He looked at her with less surprise in his eyes than she had been expecting. "Trinaty." He bowed his head in greeting, then answered, "I was thinking."

Trinaty narrowed her eyes at him and asked, "You knew I would come, didn't you?"

He smiled. "I don't have to be a seer to know that you care to much about your friends to let them go into a dangerous situation with out you."

She just shrugged and said, "Well I can't let you have all of the fun."

"Of coarse not."


	4. Troubled Memories part teo

Chapter 3: Troubled Memories part two

"Hey, Trinaty," Galahad interrupted, "what are you going to do after this whole affair with the Romans is over?"

"I dunno. I'll have to go and visit you all though, wont I? I'll have to make sure that Gawain here finds a wife."

"Are you offering?" Gawain asked eagerly.

Trinaty gave him a jab in the ribs, then continued, "That Bors has enough support to stay Governor. And I'll have to make sure Lancelot doesn't get in trouble with some Roman nobleman's daughter." Lancelot laughed at that.

"Are you going to get married? Have kids?" Arthur asked, smiling at her last words.

Trinaty's mood suddenly became moody. She starred silently into the struggling flames. She had had a child once, and the thought of it brought back horrible memories.

She had once lived in the very forest that they were now camped. Her mother had died giving berth to her and she had been raised by a woman named Calest, along with her son Gareth. Her father had been married to another woman when he fell in love with her mother. Trinaty had met her father a few times. He was the leader of another village, another tribe of Woads. He had been a Woad, but Trinaty's mother had been half Sarmatian, and had instructed that Trinaty learn the Sarmatian ways as well as the way of the Woad.

So Trinaty had grown up with her milk brother, learning how to fight with sword and knife and bow. She had lived happily there for thirteen years when the village was attacked by a small army of Saxons. They had slaughtered most of the villagers, but Trinaty and Gareth had been taken prisoner, along with several of the village's worriers. In the midst of the battle that had taken place Trinaty had found her milk mother as she lay dying. Celest's last words to Trinaty had been about her father and that she had a half sister that was younger than her in another village.

Trinaty had been tortured by the Saxon commander, Cyrise. He had toyed with her and abused her before he let his son, Cerdic, rape her. Then she had then been thrown in a dungeon with little light and less food, with the others from her village.

Then in a battle that drove the Saxons back from Briton, they managed to escape. But once they had gotten away from the prison Trinaty had become separated from the others. When the battle was over a man by the name of Uther Pendragon had found her. She had been week from the days spent in the dark cell and could barley move.

Feeling pity for her Uther had taken Trinaty to his wife Igraine. Igraine had nursed her back to health and invited Trinaty to stay with her and Uther. But Trinaty knew that if she stayed trouble would come looking for her and she didn't want the kind people that had cared for her suffer that trouble.

Soon after she left she discovered that she was with child. A Saxon child. Cerdic's Child. In Horror and rage she had killed the child, soon after it was born. But the thought of it still haunted her dreams.

"Trinaty are you all right." She felt a hand on her shoulder, and snapping out of her revere, she realized that it was Gawain's hand. She looked around and saw that all of the knights and Jols were starring at her with concern. Horton was snoring from under his blanket.

"I'm fine," she said. Then she realized that the knife she had been holding had slipped from her finger and sliced across the back of her left hand. She stood up and said again, "Really, I'm fine." Turning she walked over to where the knights had tied their horses to a tree.

Draco had joined them of his own accord and stood still with one leg cocked slightly forward as he dosed. Patting the horse lightly to let him know she was there, she started to rummage through her saddlebags. Her hand brushed against a small wooden flute and she pulled it out. The flute had been carved out of a dark wood and there were tiny dragons painted around the holes.

"Trinaty." The voice came from behind her. She turned around slowly and looked at the knight that had captured her heart and would hold it for as long as she lived. "Are you all right?"

"I already said I'm fine." She snapped. The she said quietly, "Just bad memories, come back to haunt me."

"We all have those."

Suddenly furry erupted in her. He didn't understand. No man _could_ understand. And the fact that he thought he did made her furious.

Noticing this sudden mood change he said concernedly, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing! Everything!" her voice broke and she could feel the tears coming. She turned away from him to hide her face.

He put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed it reassuringly. "We all have nightmares about the past, the future, even the present." He whispered in her ear. She just shook her head, unable to speak through the hard lump in her throat. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight while she tried to compose her self.

After a while she finally said, "I am all right now." She pulled away from him and looked into hi eyes, to prove that she really was.

"All right" he muttered. Then he leaned over and kissed her forehead.

Just then they heard shuffled footsteps, and turned to see Dagonet.

"Sorry," he murmured. "I didn't mean to interrupt I was just checking on Dagger." He gestured to his brown mare, which was looking at him with curious eyes. The dagger shaped stripe on he forehead was almost hidden by her sopping forelock.

Trinaty smiled and walked over to the big man. "It's all right Dag." She said and kissed his cheek. Then with out another word she walked back to the fire with the little flute still in her hand.

As Trinaty neared the fire she saw that Horton was still asleep and that one of his hands was protruding from under the blanket. Grinning as the malicious thought entered her head, she deliberately brought the heel of her boot down on his fingers. The rat awoke with a yelp and looked around for what had caused the stabbing pain in his fingers. When he spotted Trinaty he glared and muttered something that she didn't catch.

She smiled broadly down at the man that looked small and pathetic, cradling his hand. It always made her feel better to know that she had paid the Romans back for a bit of the pain they had caused her and her friends. And any ways she didn't like Horton.

Bors noticed the flute in Trinaty's hand and asked her to play a tune. And she did. The music seemed to wash away the shadow that had settled over her that day and when she finally did sleep it was not riddled with disturbing dreams. But was full of the horses that had once been knights and now ran free across endless green plains.


	5. Trees and Shadows

This chapter is fairly long even though I don't get very far in the story. That's because there is some more information about Trinaty's past. I hope you like it. Please R&R.

Review Response:

Red Dragon10—I'm really glad you liked the first part of Troubled Memories. I really like it too. I don't know yet if you red the second part, since you didn't review on it. A lot of people think that its Gawain, but you'll see.

g.—Thank you soo much for pointing out the difference between Briton and Britain! It really does help.

Scruffybunny—I'm a little confused. Why _do_ you hate me? Thanks for the review

Chapter 4: Trees and Shadows

By morning it had stopped raining. Though this made little difference since the water that had collected on the leaves of the trees continued to fall on the knights.

Everyone was in a bad mood the next morning from sleeping on wet blankets and from the prospect of traveling through the woods. The trees that seemed to be closing in on them from all sides did nothing to improve the feeling in the group.

Trinaty's ears were ringing from the imposing silence that was by the time Arthur decided to send Tristan forward to scout for Woads.

"Arthur, let me go." she said before Tristan had moved off. "I know these wood better than anyone here." He stared at her silently for a wile as if deciding whether or not to ask her why she knew the forest. But he knew that she was part Woad. All of the knights knew. He nodded and her and Tristan spurred their horses off into the trees.

They continued their fast pace for several minutes before Tristan yelled for Trinaty to stop.

"What is it?" she asked as she turned Draco around and walked back to where Tristan had quickly dismounted.

"There is a trail here." He explained quietly. He had bent down and was examining the earth. "It hasn't been used for a long time though. I wander if it leads out of the woods."

"It doesn't." Trinaty said, still astride Draco. She recognized the Trail. Oh she recognized it all right. "That path only leads to ruins."

"How do you know?" Tristan asked looking up at her.

She was silent for a long time. Then she decided that she was tired of bearing the burden of her past alone. "You know that there is Woad blood running through my veins."

He nodded and said, "There is also Sarmatian blood."

"Yes, but quite a bit more Woad blood." She paused a second then continued, "You also know that I am no longer loyal to that blood." He nodded again. "But I did live in a Woad village for the first thirteen years of my life. And that path," she pointed to it, "leads to that village."

"So there are Woads living not far from here?"

She shook her head bitterly. "No. No more dose anyone dwell there. Not since the Saxons attacked and slaughtered almost everyone in it."

"Ah," he said, "That would explain the fact that the path is so over grown." Though some might find his words heartless, Trinaty knew that he was trying to distract her from the memories of that place. And she was grateful for it.

"I doubt that any Woad in his right mind would venture so near this place." She continued in a brisk voice. "We should ride on further. If I remember correctly there used to be a camp a few miles from here."

Tristan didn't say any thing but remounted and nodded for Trinaty to lead.

Arthur paused when he heard horses pounding hooves coming toward them from the trail ahead. He hoped that it was the two scouts returning but was prepared for it to be Woads.

He let a small sigh escape him when he saw Trinaty come around a bend in the trail, closely followed by Tristan.

"Did you find anything?" he called out to them.

"We found some tracks. It looked like three men on foot and two horses. One carrying a heavy load and the other pulling a small wagon." Tristan reported as he rained in his horse next to Arthur's. "But they were at least a week old."

"Good." Arthur said.

"Arthur, we should quicken our pace. At least wile to path is still good." Trinaty said after she had taken in the other knights and decided that nothing had happened since they had left. "It gets pretty rough up ahead and the horses will need time to maneuver it."

Arthur nodded and held up his had to signal to the rest of the knights. They rode at a brisk loupe, with Arthur and Tristan in the lead until they came to the part that Trinaty had warned of. Then they fell into an easy trot.

Trinaty, seeing that Horton was constantly glancing at the trees as though he though he thought 'blue demons' would jump out and grab him, had made Draco fall into step with his steed. While it looked like Trinaty was riding close to comfort Horton it had the exact effect that Trinaty had hoped for. That was to make him even more paranoid. She was certain that this little man thought her to be a witch.

In truth he wasn't that far wrong. Her father was a sorcerer of sorts and her mother had been a seer. And having inherited these traits from both sides she had been accepted into the sisterhood of Avalon.

Long ago Avalon and the magic it yielded had been ruled by men. But as so often has happened in history, there was discontent and the men had fought each other to prove which was the strongest. This fighting and treachery continued until Avalon was nearly lost. That's when Britannia had come to the island. She had taken what was left of the old order of mages and turned it into a new order.

This order consisted entirely of women, for women were less likely to shed blood in their fight for power. But seeking to create an order that was above such petty ideals, Britannia had hand selected those that were to be admitted into the order. So Avalon had prospered in secret, just off the coast of Britain, for many, many years. And all those who were chosen were granted eternal youth for as long as they served the order.

Over the years several young women came and left the order. Most left for love and family. But there were also those who died wile serving the order. For Britannia had pledged to the Mother Goddess that this new order, this order of Avalon would be the keeper of history.

Now being the keeper of history meant that most the order's members were dispatched to places all around the known world. Most members chose to be stationed in their home lands, where they wrote down matters of great importance and sent word of them back to Avalon, where it would be recorded in the great libraries concealed on the island.

Some of the members had to disguise them selves so they could gain access to secrets that very few others knew. This became a very dangerous task and many of the members had been died or been killed.

Trinaty had been in such a situation. When Britannia had heard of Arthur Castus and his band of legendary knights, she had sent Trinaty to Britain to pose as a Sarmatian knight. Trinaty had been chosen because she had lived in Britain and had Sarmatian blood in her veins. So posing as a young Sarmatian knight from an outpost that had recently been abandoned, Trinaty had come to know Arthur and his knights. While she was with them her task had been to gather information and tales about as many Sarmatian knights as possible.

Trinaty had lived three years in the guise of a boy when her true identity had been discovered. Though Trinaty had long believed that Tristan had known that she was a woman, it was not he that reveled her.

She had been wounded in battle and been unconscious when Bors had discovered her little secret. Soon afterwards Lancelot had discovered several papers that contained the words they had spoken in confidence.

Expecting the worst and prepared for it, Trinaty had offered her life to Arthur in payment of her treason. But Arthur had refused to take her life, and in the end the knights had excepted her for what she really was, a loyal and trusting ally and friend.

They rode all that day. Never stopping to eat or drink. And although both Tristan and Trinaty were alert for any sign that there were Woads about, they did not see any.

Late in the evening Trinaty told Arthur that she was going to scout farther ahead.

Arthur nodded, "Right. Trinaty you go. Tristan I want you to stay back with the rest of us."

Tristan nodded, but Trinaty caught the tiny flicker in his eye that meant he would rather be scouting that sitting doing nothing.

As soon as Trinaty had disappeared from sight Arthur noticed that the trees had started to sway as though caught in a light breeze, though the day was perfectly still. Bors had noticed it also and was rubbing his eyes as though he could make stop the trees swaying.

"The trees," Tristan muttered quietly to Arthur. Arthur nodded but did no take his eyes off of the unnatural movement.

The party slowed their horses to a walk and was completely silent, listening for the slightest sound. Then Tristan whispered to Arthur, "Woads."

"Where?" Arthur whispered back.

"Every where."

At that moment there was the sound of arrows whistling through the air. Arthur braced himself for impact, but the arrows thudded into the trees in front of him. Connected to each arrow was a thin rope with barbs sticking out along the its length. Together the ropes made a net that prevented the knights from continuing froward.

All of the knights had instantly pulled out their swords in what seemed like a single movement.

"Back!" Arthur shouted, and the knights, Jols, and Horton turned their horses and spurred them back the way they had come.

They had not gotten far when another net blocked their path.

"This way!" Tristan shouted and he plunged his horse into the trees off the side of the trail. They soon came upon a smaller, less used path and began to charge their horses along it. But using their nets, the Woads carefully guided the knights back to the original path where they quickly surrounded them.

Trinaty rode Draco for a distance, then dismounted and quickly hid in the trees. It was not long before a Woad scout came cautiously out of the trees to examine the seemingly abandoned horse.

Trinaty watched from her cover as the Woad tied Draco to a tree, then began to check the ground around the horse for her footprints. Spotting them, the Woad began to follow the slight marks in the dirt. As he drew closer to her hiding spot, Trinaty drew out her boot dagger and prepared to confront the blue skinned Woad.

When Trinaty judged he was near enough, she leapt out and tried to grab for his neck. Startled, the Woad jumped back and twisted to one side.

Missing her mark, Trinaty kicked out with her right foot and caught the Woad in the shin. This unbalanced him and he fell to the ground. She was instantly on top of him and had pinned his arms behind his head before he could give a shout of surprise.

Looking down into his face, Trinaty saw that he was barley out of child hood.

"What were you doing with my horse?" she asked in a gruff voice.

"N-nothing." The boy stuttered.

Trinaty raised her eyebrows slightly and glared at him strait in the eye. The boy squirmed under the intense gaze.

Finally he blurted out, "I was going to take it back to Merlin. To prove that I am a worrier."

Trinaty sighed at the boy's need to impress, and stood up. The boy lay on the ground for a moment than jumped to his feet and sprinted towards the trees. Trinaty had been expecting this and she threw her knife after the fleeing figure.

The boy froze as the dagger thudded into a tree not two inches from his head. Trinaty causally strode up behind him and yanked the blade out of the bark.

"Now what made you think I would just let you take my horse?" Her voice was cold and offered no room for excuses.

"I thought you would have been killed in the ambush."

"What ambush?" her blood ran cold as she thought of her friends. They were more than a mach for the Woads, she knew. But this was their territory, which gave them the advantage.

"The ambush on the Roman knights that dared to enter our woods." The boy explained, managing to infuse his voice with a little pride and indignation.

But Trinaty wasn't listening. She had run back to Draco and vaulted into the saddle.

The knights all had their swords held out in front of them and were prepared to fight to death. But the Woads did not advance.

"Why do they not attack?" Bors asked, trying to keep the nervousness out of his voice.

Arthur was staring at a point just beyond the net that kept them from moving forward. There stood a Woad worrier glaring at him in defiance down the shaft of a arrow. This Woad looked familiar, but Arthur couldn't place him. Then he remembered, this was the Woad that he had sparred in the attack against Bishop Germanius.

They were still glaring at each other when they heard a horn being blown from some where deep in the forest. The Woads exchanged looks of surprise and confusion. The horn sounded again and with one last resentful look at Arthur, the lieutenant signaled for the Woads the fall back before he himself melted into the trees like a shadow.

The knights were silent for a moment. Then they heard fast hoof beats from the path ahead. Arthur lifted Excaliber, expecting another Woad attack. But was relived to see Trinaty speeding towards them.

Pulling Draco up short of the barbed net, Trinaty dismounted and stepped forward. There was a look of worry on he face as she took in the knights.

"Hey, Trin." Lancelot greeted her with his usual grin. "You missed all the fun."

Looking up at the knight she smiled. "Oh really? Do you mean the Woad ambush, or did I miss some thing else?"

Horton stared at her in disbelief. Then suspicion. "How could she have known? Unless she was in league with them?" he asked in an accusing tone.

Trinaty glared at him with hatred burning brightly in her eyes. "Unlike Romans, who would turn on their friends if they saw a profit in it," she started. "I do not betray those whom I have earned trust from." This made Horton furious. She turned to Arthur. "I found a scout, not far from here. He told me of the ambush. I came as fast as I could." Arthur nodded, accepting her explanation.

Gaining a hold on her temper, Trinaty pulled her sword from its sheath and began to slice through the thin ropes.

"Why didn't they kill us?" Galahad asked.

"Merlin doesn't want us dead." Arthur answered in a distracted voice.

"He will probable try to use you to accomplish his own goals." Trinaty said.

"What do you mean by that?" Lancelot asked.

"Rome is his enemy." she explained. "I don't know if he considers Sarmatians his enemy. But the Romans are leaving Britain, and the Woads will be stuck with the Saxons."

"And our fifteen years of risking our lives will be for nothing." Galahad said bitterly.

Trinaty nodded. "And all the dead Sarmatians buried on Badon Hill."

Everyone was deep in thought as they had started forward again. Trinaty turned to Arthur and said in a voice that betrayed no emotion, "If we ride through the night, we should break free of the forest by morning."

"All right." He said, then looked over at her. "You shouldn't let Horton get to you."

She gave him a half smile. "I know. It was just that his trying to get you to turn against me," she broke off.

"My trust of you runs too deep for a rat like that to destroy it with one simple comment."

"Even though there are things about my past that I have kept from you."

"We all have secrets."

She smiled. "Thank you, Arthur."

"You are welcome." And with that he held up his hand for the knights to quicken pace.

Falling back, Trinaty came level with Lancelot. "So Lancelot." She said with a sly grin. "Just how many Woads did you kill?"

"My share." He said with a shrug.

"Really? I didn't see any bodies, or blood." She smiled broadly as he looked sheepishly at her. Then she shrugged herself. "Well, better luck next time." Then they both laughed

So I tried to end it on a high note. Hope that worked out. Please, Please, _Please_ REVIEW!!!


	6. Hell's Estate

Sorry it took me so long to get this chapter up. I had some trouble getting things strait. Any way I haven't had time to do a basic editing of it so there are probable a lot of grammar mistakes. That and I also can't get the computer with the printer to work right.

Reader Response:

Stormbringer91--- You're right. It's not Lancelot, and it's not Dagonet. It's not Galahad, Bors or Arthur either. But just between you and me I don't think you'll be disappointed. And I totally agree with you about the ending of the movie.

MonDieu666--- You are soooo eight about those two. 'Corse sometimes Lance is knida an idiot, but that makes him all the cuter. Also Thank You soooo much for what you said about my writing. I like the way you put it.

Jaulli Bass--- Wow I just found out that you wrote "The Five Point Compass". Damn! I also just found out there are eight chapters up. I'll have to catch up. Stupid printer! I hate reading a computer screen for long periods so as soon as I get my printer to work I'll read it. ... Any way, thank you so much for reading my story. That thing about the Druids is so cool. I totally agree that a lot of the Waods are probably Druids. 'specialy Merlin. I want to work in more magic with him later on. And thanks again!

Oh wait I almost forgot I wanted to mention why I called this chapter "Hell's Estate". Actually it is mentioned later in the chapter bout... Any way frankly it's called that because I HATE MARIUS!!!! What a jackass! Any way that's all I wanted to say.

Chapter 5: Hell's Estate

The party broke free of the forest around midday. It had taken slightly longer than Trinaty had expected since the trail had been blocked by several trees that had fallen in a storm.

Everyone had felt a sense of relief as the came out from the gloom of the forest, even the horses. The knights and Trinaty had begun talking good-naturedly to each other, and Bors had begun to play tricks on Horton.

They rode through half the night before stopping to camp by a small stream. Though they did build a fire, most of the knights chose to sit off by themselves. Trinaty lay near the fire, staring up at the stars and trying to erase everything from her mind.

A few feet away, Lancelot was talking to Arthur about death. Trinaty didn't like it when Lancelot got in the kind of mood where he started to wander what death was. A place, a person, a thing? She really didn't want to think about it.

With a sigh Trinaty sat up and looked across the fire at Tristan. He was sitting cross-legged, with his hawk perched on one knee, staring into the fire. The firelight that played across his face momentarily distracted her. The bangs that constantly hung over his face looked like long dark shadows that were trying in vain to conceal the flickering light in his eyes. She stared at the dark tattoos that marked both of his cheeks, and distractedly brushed a finger across a similar mark on her left cheekbone.

It was an old tradition amongst the Woads to show the grate pains of their lives in this manner. The one on Trinaty's cheek was in remembrance of her real mother. She had three more of these 'scars', but they were just above her right knee, where they were not noticeable. These three marks stood for the loss of her milk mother, Calest, the loss of her village and home, and the last one had been added to the others when one of the knights had died, about a year after she had joined Arthur.

Though Trinaty had often wandered at what Tristan's meant, she had never asked.

Trinaty knew he was one of the older knights, but he had never revealed his true age to her. Only the gray in his beard and the depth of his eyes told of his long years of service, and the horrors he had seen in those years. She figured that they were about the same age. Though the years had left little to no mark on her face, except for a thin white scar the sliced across the corner of her right eye.

Her seeming youth was a result of the power that Avalon still held over her, even though she had only been back to the island a few times since she had come to know Tristan and the others. Luckily she didn't look as young as when she had first been to the island, since she had only been fourteen. How she had come to the island was a mystery, even to her.

Tristan pulled his gaze away from the fire and saw Trinaty watching him. Their eyes locked for a moment, before Trinaty stood and wandered over to Draco. She spent the rest of the night next to the horse, sleeping a little, but mostly thinking about what the future held in store for her and the knights.

The next day was hard travel over the foothills at the base of a snow-covered mountain range. Some of the hills had steep slopes and the knights had had to dismount and lead their horses along narrow ridges.

Finally, after they had crested what seemed like the hundredth hill, they looked down on the estate of Marius Honorius. Like many such estates, there was a large and lavish house surrounded by a high stone wall for protection. Arthur was stunned to see that all of the huts of the other families that worked the estate were outside of the protective wall.

"Welcome the Hell's Estate." Trinaty said coldly.

Gawain looked over at her and asked, "What makes it worse than any other Roman estate?"

"Just you wait. From what I've heard, this Marius Honorius is even worse than our dear Bishop Germanius."

Gawain grimaced.

Arthur had already started to lead his white horse down the slope towards the estate, and the others moved to catch up.

When they reached the bottom of the hill they all remounted and rode towards the gates set in the estate's wall.

As they neared it, the gate swung closed and they were left standing there, looking up at a couple of mercenaries that had obviously been hired the protect the family from any Woad attacks.

"Who are you?" called one of the mercenaries.

"Roman knights." Lancelot called up to them.

The shorter of the two mercenaries disappeared. As the knights waited several of the villagers had gathered around them and were staring in awe.

Soon the gates opened, revealing a short, fat man wearing a roman style robe. Next to him stood a woman that had the nervous frightened look of someone who is often beaten for no reason.

"Who are you?" asked the short man. He was obviously the master of the estate, Marius.

Lancelot turned to Arthur with a grin. "At least they ask easy questions." He said so quietly that only Arthur heard.

But Arthur was not paying attention to Lancelot. He was staring down at Marius. "I am Arthur Castus, leader of the Sarmatian knights, sent by Bishop Germanus." He said with authority.

Marius's face brightened at the bishop's name. He beamed at the knights and said, "It is a wander you have come. Did you have to fight the Woads?"

Trinaty glared in disgust at the Roman. The way he eagerly asked if they had killed any Woads, as though he was asking a hunting part if they had caught any rabbits for his dinner.

She contemplated spiting on him when he noticed her. He stared at her for a moment, and she glared back.

"Our orders are to evacuate you immediately." Arthur said.

Marius seamed to wake from a trance. Then he shook his head. "Impossible! Everything we have is here. This land was given to us by the Pope of Rome."

"Well you're about to hand it over to the Saxons." Lancelot said in a cheery voice. "With his holiness's compliments of coarse."

Marius was trembling with rage, and looked on the verge of attacking Lancelot when Arthur spoke again.

"Which is Alecto?" It seamed to Trinaty that Arthur had one goal, and he wasn't going to stop until he had completed it.

A boy, about twelve years old, stepped up from behind his father. "I am Alecto." He said in a steady voice. The boy was already as tall as his father, and far more handsome. He had dark hair and his face was like his mother's, narrow with prominent cheekbones and a thin mouth.

Marius seemed to have just understood what Lancelot had said and glanced at Arthur. "Saxons?" he said questioningly.

"They have invaded from the north." Arthur said with out taking his eyes away from Alecto's face.

"Rome will send an army." Marius said in a voice that sounded to Trinaty that was meant to comport him more than reassure anyone else.

"They have," Arthur said skeptically. "Us." He let that sink in before saying, "Now, you must prepare immediately. We will leave as soon as you are packed."

Marius shook his head vigorously. "No. I refuse to leave."

Arthur leaned forward menacingly. "Let me make my self clear; if I fail to bring you back, my men and I can never leave this land. So you will come, even if I have to tie you to the back of my horse and drag you all the way back to Hadrian's Wall." Marius cowered and was silent. Arthur straitened up and looked at the woman who was obviously Marius's wife. "Lady, my men and I are hungry."

The woman glanced nervously at her husband. Marius waved at her dismissively, and she hurried back to the house. Marius continued to look at the knights, then turned and stormed off.

The knights dismounted and Jols took all of the reins. He led the horses to a near by well and let them drink.

As soon as the men were on the ground they were surrounded by the villagers. A man with greasy hair and watery eyes came up to Bors and clutched at his sleeve.

"You are from Rome, no?" The man asked eagerly.

Bors looked at him in disgust and then said dramatically, "I'm from Hell."

The man released him and stared in horror, before scurrying away. Trinaty looped her arm through Bors's and smiled at him. "Some times your not far wrong." She said teasingly.

She saw that a young man was flittering about Arthur and instantly knew that he was begging to be allowed to fight with the great Arthur and his Knights of legend. It was a common enough plea from young men and Trinaty rolled her eyes.

Trinaty just caught his name over the hubbub of voices. Ganis. Well it seamed Arthur was trying to avoid Ganis, but the young man was persistent. Finally Arthur turned to him and said something that obviously pleased him, for Ganis instantly rushed off with a sense of purpose.

Just then the mercenaries started shouting for the villagers to get back to work and were pushing roughly through the crowd. Trinaty watched as some of the villagers were pushed off their feet then kicked when they didn't get up fast enough.

Trinaty watched this process with deep suspicion. Something wasn't right here and she had the feeling that things were even worse than they appeared.

It was wile Trinaty was watching the workers dash off to their fields that her attention was drawn to a small stone building that seamed to slump against the wall. She stared at it for several moments. The feeling that someone was in there made her both sick and disgusted.

When she finally tore her gaze away from the ugly structure, she realized that Arthur had been staring at it as well. He seemed to feel her eyes of him and they exchanged a questioning look before going inside the gates.

On Marius's orders, a long table had been brought out into the yard and several trays of food had been set upon it. And although the food was considerably better than any thing they had eaten in a wile, the fact that the table had been moved out side clearly stated Marius's mistrust of them.

Wile Galahad, Gawain, and they others sat around the table and began to eat, Trinaty picked up a loaf of bread and wandered back near the wall. She stood near the wall for a moment before she leaned against it and pressed her ear to the cold bricks.

One of the priestesses in Avalon had once told her how to listen to the walls to learn secrets. Trinaty had not practice as often as was needed to perfect this skill, and had to concentrate hard, to hear the tiny whispers.

Trinaty was so concentrated on the whispers of the past that she didn't notice when Tristan walked up beside her. She jumped when he placed a hand on her shoulder, and he own hand moved instinctively to the hilt of one of her daggers.

Tristan took a step back and held up his hand in defense. "Not being very attentive thins morning," he commented.

She relaxed her posture and said, "No. I am being to attentive in one direction."

Tristan was about to reply when they were interrupted.

"Tristan!" Arthur called as he walked towards them. Both Tristan and Trinaty looked at him, silently attentive. "Oh, good, Trinaty. Listen when both of you have eaten I want you to scout for and Saxons that might be near by."

Trinaty looked over at the table where the other knights were still eating then looked back at Arthur. "Not hungry," she muttered quietly.

Tristan smiled at her then looked at Arthur. "We'll leave immediately."

Deep in the forest Trinaty observed the army of Saxons as it marched awkwardly between the trees. She had noticed that any Woads in the area had quickly withdrawn.

The two scouts, much against Tristan own judgment, had split up upon entering the forest. Trinaty no longer knew where Tristan was hiding. She had watched him for a short time but gave it up when his hawk kept pointing her out. That bird was too damned smart for its own good.

Three men walked slightly in front of the rest. Trinaty had picked one out to be the leader. Though she had not yet gotten a good look at his face. One of the others she guessed was in second in command. This one was shorter than the first with close-cropped hair like Bors and Dagonet favored. His beard was blond and plated into a single braid.

Trinaty had picked the third one out as a Briton. He was obviously the scout, and unfortunately a good one at that.

She watched him carefully as they came to a fork in the path they were following. The scout bent down to check for any signs that one of the paths had been recently traveled. Not seeing anything, he looked up into the forever-gray sky. He watched the hawk that was making lazy circles there and thoughts of wizards and druids using animals to do their spying. I wouldn't surprise him one bit if this strange bird had been sent by the wizard that was supposed to live in these woods.

Finally he looked back at the Saxon that was in charge. "This way is longer," he said, pointing down one of the paths, "but easier to travel."

"Ease does not concern me," the Saxon said. "It's time that concerns me."

The voice was disturbingly familiar, but Trinaty couldn't place it.

The scout seamed to sense something and turned to look into the trees on the other side of the path from Trinaty. The branches had shifted very slightly as if in a breeze. Trinaty sensed the movement too and cursed silently. Unlike the Saxon's scout, she had a fairly good idea what had caused the movement. Tristan's hawk had disappeared.

Thinking quickly, Trinaty snapped a branch off a near by bush. The small sound attracted the scouts attention as well as the Saxon leader's.

Recognition slammed into Trinaty like a rampaging bull when she finally got a good look at the Saxon commander's face. It was Cerdic. He had aged since she had last seen him, but she knew that this was the same man that had raped her so long ago.

All the long years of pent up anger boiled up in side her. She wanted to jump out of her hiding place and throttle him.

Just then the scout stepped in front of Cerdic and Trinaty's focus was slightly diverted. _No _she thought. _Not now. Not here. _

But something inside her wouldn't let it go. So, as silently as a shadow, Trinaty nocked an arrow in her bow and took aim at the younger Saxon that was standing next to Cerdic and looking at him uncertainly. _Another of your bastard sons Cerdic? _She thought bitterly. _Did you rape his mother too?_

Trinaty took careful aim and let the arrow fly. But just as the arrow came whirring out of the trees one of the bodyguards that had come up behind the three, stepped forward. The arrow plowed into his neck burying the feathers.

"Damn!" Trinaty hissed. Then with out another look at Saxons, she turned and ran into the trees.

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